22. Fall arrived awhile ago, but it
doesn't truly feel like it until our annual Moose Hunting trip arrives! Each
year we wait until November when the weather is cooler before we start our
annual moose hunt in Trepassey. Once again we had the Gun Club's NFP license to
fill, which will provide at no cost to the club a years worth of Meat for our
shooting groups to utilize throughout the year for lunches. Its an either sex
license, and a partner license. Andrea also had an Either Sex license himself.

21. Wednesday was Remembrance Day and a
holiday, so Andrea, Troy, Blaine and I planned on driving to Trepassey early
that morning. Troy didn't fully compute the instructions, thinking 6am was 6pm
and left 9pm Tuesday night to head to Trepassey LoL. Luckily Peter was already
there with the fire going.

20. Andrea and I arrived at the Bassan
hunting shack in Trepassey about 9am Wednesday, so we unloaded our gear and got
ready to head in the woods. The day brought almost ideal hunting conditions,
beautiful clear sky and no wind. Andrea, Peter, Troy Blaine, Eddy and I headed
in the old road on bikes to our first destination.

19. Our first setup near Doctors pond had
a Cow come out of the woods, but it was nowhere near either of us and she
quickly turned around and vanished like a fart in the wind.

18. Our next setup was near Blackrock and
with all of us in our positions it was Andrea who made the shot that filled our
first set of tags for the trip. It was a beautiful Cow, but it was knocked down
in a tangly spot.

17.

16. After having to carry a Moose a couple
years ago I told the byes come hell or high water my bike was getting to the
Moose. The ground was all tuck, which is low brush grown over boulders. I picked
my way along, it was a steady descent, and made a path through the trees and all
the way to the moose.

15. We hauled the
animal out to the rest of the bikes in two trips. Coming back up the hill of
tuck, brushes and crap with the half moose aboard I rolled the Foreman onto its
side. Not missing a beat we shoved it over and carried on. We put the first half
moose in Andrea's bike and I went back for the 2nd half. The second trip went
off without a hitch with some careful manoeuvring and creative riding.

14. With the hard work done, we
stopped for a lunch of sandwiches.

13. Foreman to the rescue.

12. We hunted our way out and stopped
by Doctors Pond after spaying 2-3 Moose enter the woods. Eddy and I
circled them while the boys waited. Unfortunately they never showed
and must have took off in a different direction. Not 20 minutes
later we spotted two of the Moose crossing the big bog. At the very
end of the legal shooting day, I made a clean ear shot and filled
our Club tags.

11. Even with a late start to the day
we managed to fill all of our licenses on the first day!

10. With 4 hard working Honda bikes
hauling Moose we headed to Eddy's to hang the meat.

9. Celebratory Turkey Stew.

8. Thursday morning we went about
skinning and quartering the moose.

7.

6. With the moose hunt over, we took
advantage of the great day and took 4 Rabbit Dogs in the woods for
the afternoon. Low rabbit numbers have been reported all over the
island this year, and we certainly felt it on this trip. The dogs
started 2 rabbits but never came close to any of us.

5.

4. Friday morning Andrea, Troy and I
headed down the road to pickup Peter's Big Red which had been kept
at a fella's house and stored outside under a tarp for a number of
years. Looks like we may have another project to get working on.
While Troy & Blaine headed back to town, Peter, Andrea, Eddy and I
headed back in the woods with the dogs for another afternoon of
rabbit hunting. This time we were not skunked and came home with a
couple rabbits. One of Eddy's' dogs successfully hunted and nearly
came home with a piece of Andrea!

3. Saturday brought wet weather and
Sunday's forecast wasn't much better. With our Moose hunt successful
Peter, Andrea and I decided to load up and head for home.

2. For a number of years now we have
elected not to use a butcher, but to process and debone our meat
ourselves. Its a relaxing job, and a great way to ensure the highest
quality of your game.